In the Greek story of Pandora, what does her name literally mean?

In the Greek story of Pandora, her name literally means “all-gifted.”

The name comes from the Greek elements pan, meaning “all,” and doron, meaning “gift.” Hesiod’s story connects the name with the gifts that the gods bestow on Pandora when they prepare her for her role among humans. Her beauty, skills, and persuasive qualities are presented as divine contributions.

The name is also important because it carries an ironic edge. Pandora appears to be a gift, but Zeus intends her arrival as part of humanity’s punishment for Prometheus’s theft of fire. The Greeks could therefore hear both the generosity and the danger in her name.

“Pandora” is sometimes loosely interpreted as “giver of all,” but “all-gifted” is the standard literal explanation in discussions of the myth. The name does not mean that Pandora herself gives every gift; it refers to the gifts she receives from the gods.